


A Difference of Opinion

by magician



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Bingo, Bingo Card Challenge, Challenge Response, Early in Canon, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-23 19:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13794168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: Jim and Blair see things differently.





	A Difference of Opinion

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 Sentinel Bingo Challenge for the prompt "not a morning person". This takes place shortly after Blair moves in with Jim.

 

 "What do you mean, I'm not a morning person," Blair asked with a frown.

 Jim looked Blair up and down pointedly.  He'd just come out of his bedroom in what was apparently his regular sleepwear: a sleeveless t-shirt and boxers.  His hair was a rat's nest and his face still had wrinkle marks from his pillow. It was 7 a.m. and Jim had already shaved, showered and was on his second cup of coffee.  He pointed with his cup, as if to say "isn't it obvious" as he quirked an eyebrow. "Well, Sandburg, I'm dressed and ready to head out the door, having read the paper and made a grocery list.  You, on the other hand, have just stumbled out of bed, your eyes are still half-closed, and it looks like you need at least three shots of caffeine before you're ready to stagger to the shower."

 "Yeah, but that's only because I just woke up." Jim snorted, as if to prove his point.  "But I didn't go to bed until 3:30. Which means I was already awake and functioning for three and a half hours this morning.  Look," he said, pointing to the living room table.  "I've graded a stack of blue books, read source material and wrote a paper for submission, and started outlining my syllabus for next semester's class.  I think that trumps washing yourself and reading the paper all to hell."  He smiled smugly and took a big gulp of his coffee.  And sighed. "Ya did a great job on this coffee, though.  Well done."

"Whoa, whoa.  Three-thirty is the middle of the night.  Everyone knows that."

 "Au contraire. If that's so, why do people say 'wee hours of the _morning_ '?"

 "How the hell should I know?  I think they're trying to fool others into believing they're morning people."

"Oh yeah? Just wait right there." Jim, not planning to move in any case and starting to enjoy the entertainment, stood and drank some more of what he had to admit was excellent coffee.  He pulled out his shopping list and added the brand name, so he wouldn't forget to pick up some more.

Blair came out of his room, brandishing a book.  "See here?  This is the Oxford English Dictionary.  Its definition for 'morning' is, and I quote, 'the period of time between midnight and noon'." He pointed at the entry emphatically with his finger, then at Jim.  "So, you, slug-a-bed, have slept almost half the morning away."

Jim snatched the book away to look himself.  "Okay," he said, pointing to the entry.  "In the second meaning, it says 'especially from sunrise to noon'. If they meant before sunrise, why would people say 'morning light'?"

"How the hell should I know?" Blair mimicked, throwing Jim's words back at him.  "Maybe they want to be lazy and stay in bed until the sun comes up.  All I know is I start _my_ morning early and I get a lot accomplished." Blair drained his cup and held it out for more.  Jim obligingly filled it and Blair drank, sighing in pleasure.  "Oh, and hey," he said, scowling at Jim, "You'd better not be spreading rumors that I'm not a morning person.  Because morning people have energy and get a lot done in the morning.  And I've got more energy and get more done than any three people I know."

Jim smiled and refilled his own cup.  "I can't argue with that, Chief.  Now how about you take your shower?  I need you at the station this morning and I'm leaving in," he looked at his watch, "forty-five minutes."

Blair took another gulp of his coffee, then put it down and headed to his room for clothes.  "Sure thing, man. I'm all caught up and at your service."  He dashed out of his room and Jim heard the shower turn on. 

He shook his head, trying to understand what made his new roommate tick.  Sometimes cops at the precinct looked at his hair and clothes, sniggering, and it rolled off his back, yet he took offense at some oddball thing, like just now.  Getting to know Sandburg was going to be interesting.

 

 

~~the end~~


End file.
